Driverless Shuttle to Launch at Cheonggyecheon in September
Expansion of A160 Bus and Autonomous Taxi Services
Support for Domestic Developers... Strengthening "K-Autonomous Driving"
Starting in September, Seoul City will operate the nation's first "driverless autonomous shuttle" developed entirely with domestic technology. Unlike existing autonomous buses or taxis operating on limited routes, this unmanned shuttle has neither a driver's seat nor a steering wheel. Seoul City plans to continuously enhance the technology and steadily expand the service routes.
According to Seoul City on August 25, the autonomous shuttle will begin operations at Cheonggyecheon, a major tourist attraction popular with foreigners, to showcase Seoul's leadership in autonomous driving technology on the global stage. Two shuttles will circulate along a 4.8 km route from Cheonggye Plaza to Cheonggye 5-ga (Gwangjang Market) and back to Cheonggye Plaza.
The first domestic "driverless autonomous shuttle" operated by Seoul City from September at Cheonggyecheon. Seoul City
The shuttle is an 11-seater minibus (with nine seats) designed specifically for autonomous driving from the planning stage. It not only lacks a driver's seat and steering wheel, but is also equipped with various advanced convenience features, including: a round 'ㄷ'-shaped seating arrangement, a large display providing autonomous driving status and route information, and a wheelchair lift.
The shuttle is scheduled to operate on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will not run on public holidays or Saturdays due to Cheonggyecheon-ro's car-free street operations. For the time being, rides will be free of charge, and passengers can board by tagging a transportation card, just like on regular city buses. After a learning phase and safety verification by experts, the service will be open to all citizens as early as the end of September.
Seoul City aims to use the launch of this unmanned shuttle as a stepping stone to establish Seoul as an innovation hub for "K-Autonomous Driving." In line with this, the city will strengthen its partnership with Autonomous AtoZ, the leading domestic company that developed the shuttle. Seoul City also plans to actively support Autonomous AtoZ's expansion into overseas markets, including cities in the Middle East.
Currently, Seoul plans to increase both the frequency and the routes of autonomous buses and taxis operating on congested early-morning routes to improve public transportation convenience and address the shortage of drivers.
Representative examples include the A160 bus, which runs between Dobongsan Station Bus Transfer Center and Yeongdeungpo Station, and the late-night autonomous taxis in Gangnam. The autonomous driving technology implemented in the A160 bus corresponds to Level 4 of the 0-5 scale established by the Society of Automotive Engineers in 2014. Level 4 means the vehicle can drive itself within a designated area without driver intervention. However, a bus worker is always on board. In sections where autonomous driving is not possible, such as children's safety zones, the bus worker takes over manual driving.
The late-night autonomous taxis expanded their service in June. After a pilot program last year in the areas of Yeoksam, Daechi, Dogok, and Samseong-dong, the service area was extended to Apgujeong, Sinsa, Nonhyeon, and Cheongdam-dong. Like regular taxis, these can be conveniently hailed via an app. Over eight months, there were a total of 4,200 rides, averaging 24 rides per day, with not a single accident reported.
Recently, "autonomous village buses" have also been introduced. These are operated at the district level, with two vehicles currently running in the Dongjak-gu area. While existing autonomous buses are managed and operated by Seoul City, the "local companion autonomous buses" are managed directly by the district offices. In the first year, Seoul City will cover all operating expenses; from the second year onward, support for technological development will be provided based on an evaluation of passenger transport performance and operating distance, in accordance with city ordinances. Yeo Jangkwon, Director of Transportation for Seoul City, stated, "Seoul City will continue to expand autonomous bus routes, prioritizing the use of autonomous driving technology for socially disadvantaged groups and supporting the demonstration of future core technologies to drive the growth of the domestic industry."
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